1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the production of a polyurethane lens.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is disclosed in JP-A-63-130614 that, in the production of a polyurethane lens by reacting a polyisocyanate compound with a polythiol compound, a tetrafunctional polythiol compound such as pentaerythritol tetrakis(mercaptoacetate) or pentaerythritol tetrakis-(mercaptopropionate) is used in combination with a difunctional polythiol compound having two thiol groups, for example, for increasing the crosslinking degree. It is also known that the reaction rate of one polythiol compound with a polyisocyanate compound differs from that of another. As a method of producing a polyurethane lens free of an optical strain from these two or more polythiol compounds, generally, there is employed a polymerization method in which the polymerization conditions are suited to a polythiol compound having a higher reaction rate with a polyisocyanate compound, the initial polymerization temperature is set at a low temperature and the polymerization temperature is gradually increased with taking time.
However, in the above polymerization method in which the polymerization conditions are suited to a polythiol compound having a higher reaction rate with a polyisocyanate compound, the initial polymerization temperature is set at a low temperature and the polymerization temperature is gradually increased with taking time, there is a problem in that the polymerization takes a long period of time to make the production efficiency poor. Further, when a lens having a large central thickness and a large marginal thickness is produced, for example, from pentaerythritol tetrakis(mercaptoacetate) (to be referred to as PETMA hereinafter) which has a high reaction rate with a polyisocyanate compound, the amount of PETMA increases, and the reaction heat generated by the reaction with a polyisocyanate compound increases. It is hence difficult to prevent the occurrence of an optical strain and striae by controlling the polymerization heat alone. There is therefore a disadvantage in that the yield of lenses per a polymerization furnace is limited in mass production.